Man Accused Of Groping Girl Who Has Autism

A man accused of inappropriately touching a 17-year-old girl who has autism was jailed on $350,000 bond Monday.

According to court documents, David Ortega was accused of approaching the girl while she looked at shoes at the Volunteers of America Store, located on Henderson Road, with her mother.

Ortega, a 54-year-old Dublin resident, was accused of asking the girl multiple questions before holding her hand. According to court documents, once Ortega and the victim were in the back of the store, he was accused of groping and kissing her.

The girl’s mother, who 10TV News did not identify, said that Ortega lifted up her daughter’s shirt and tried to kiss her.

“He asked her to go to the back of the store,” the mother said. “She walked with him, not knowing, and I asked her why she did it, and she said, ‘I just thought he wanted to talk.’ She just doesn’t understand.”

With the help of a store employee, the mother said that the man never got out of sight. Police located Ortega at a grocery store next door.

“She waved me down and yelled my name to come down there and told me what happened,” said the mother, who 10TV News did not identify. “I ran to the front of the store and called 911.”

An alert store employee followed Ortega and witnessed him walk into a nearby grocery store, court documents said. Police eventually found Ortega and took him into custody after the victim and her mother identified him.

Ortega’s girlfriend, Rita Delciello, said that she has been with Ortega for 11 years.

“This is a whole surprise to me,” Delciello said. “I have no idea what to say. It’s just not him. It’s just not the man I know.”

Ortega was charged with gross sexual imposition.

Police said that Ortega confessed to some of the allegations after his arrest.

The girl’s mother said that she hoped his arrest meant that nothing like the incident could happen to anyone else.

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